The 20th edition of NECCI Public Relations Roundtable scheduled to hold in Lagos this month themed: ‘Raising the Venture Capital Funding Clarion – The Role of Public Relations in Growing the Enterprise Base through Venture Capital Funding, will focus on the role public relations plays in venture capital funding in growing enterprise.
This year’s marks the 20th edition and due to the ongoing social distancing, the event will be held both physically and live-streamed across various digital platforms. The 3-hour event will kick off at 10.00am organisers have said.
According to the Convener, Nkechi Ali-Balogun, Principal Consultant/CEO, the theme will expound the new frontier of enterprise development through venture capital funding, especially with a focus on the part of Nigeria’s demography that has the least access to funding from the capital market, namely women and youth.
“It will define applicable means for venture capital funding targeted at upstarts, idea-driven innovative ventures and small businesses within the Nigerian economy. More importantly, it will highlight the role of public relations in driving funding for business upstarts as the most viable means to building and sustaining an enterprise base for Nigeria” she said.
Balogun believed that this will be a wakeup call that will tremendously boost the acceleration of the creation of this fund for sustainable economic growth and job creation. In alignment with the roundtable’s advocacy for youth inclusion, she further stated that emerging entrepreneurs and students in tertiary institutions would be supported with the provision of data to attend the conference.
Confirmed to speak at the roundtable are, Prof. Joseph Nnanna, Chief Economist, Development Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Biodun Adedipe, Chief Consultant, B. Adedipe Associates Limited (BAA Consult), His Excellency, Peter Obi, former Governor of Anambra State, and a host of others.
Procter & Gamble promotes maternal, child health with RigakafiII programme
…Donates over 1.5m diapers to residents
Under P&G’s Pampers®RigakafiII program, Procter & Gamble is stepping up as a Force for Good by partnering the Federal Ministry of Health and state governments to reduce infant mortality and increase immunization rate. During the phase 2 of this program, P&G has provided over1.5 million Pampers® diapersto its partners to promote child and maternal health care in Nigeria. This announcement was made at the official handover to the Minister of State for Health, Senator Olorunimbe Mamora, held in Abuja recently.
Since the launch of the Pampers®Rigakafi program early this year, P&G has donated over 3.5 million diapers to Federal and State governments including Kebbi, Ogun, Adamawa, Niger and Anambra states, as well as the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs & Social Development and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency. In line with the company’s commitment to doing good, this program was launched with the aim of impacting health outcomes of thousands of infants and mothers in participating communities.
Speaking on this initiative, the P&G Senior Director for Africa, Global Government Relations and Public Policy, Dr. Mrs. Temitope Iluyemi said, “P&G remains committed to touching and improving the lives of people in the communities where we live and work. Through our Pampers® Rigakafi program, we want to advance the quality of life for children and mothers to ensure they are provided with adequate healthcare”.
“As a force for good and a force for growth, we are confident of the significant role we play in ensuring we can encourage an improvement in the health of infants across rural and peri-urban areas across Nigeria. We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to join forces with Federal and State governments to scale up efforts in mitigating concerns over the health and hygiene of children as well as mothers through increased immunization and antenatal care programs”, Dr. Iluyemi added.
In his remarks, the Honorable Minister of State for Health, Sen. Dr. OlorunnimbeMamora, added, “Safe and healthy hygiene habits are particularly critical to the health of infants and in order to achieve this, it is crucial that we engage in effective partnerships. Therefore, we appreciate P&G for collaborating to accomplish better healthcare and hygiene for children through the donation of Pampers® diapers which will encourage immunization toprevent childhood diseases.”
Mouka clinches Africa Kaizen Category of Large-Scale Organisation Award
Mouka, Nigeria’s leading manufacturer of mattresses and beddings has won the Category of Large-Scale Organisation Award 2020 in the Africa Kaizen Awards during a recent evaluation of its processes.
The award which was organised by the Japan International Cooperation Agency in collaboration with the Africa Union Development Agency (AUDA), was presented to Mouka for its giant stride in manufacturing quality sleep solutions according to world-class best practices.
From clear objectives, effective processes, quality and productivity improvement, positive impact on workers motivation, impressive work environment and spill over effects outside of the organisation, Mouka ticked all the right boxes.
The Chairman of the Examination Committee of the Africa Kaizen Award 2020, Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, said the frontline company attained the feat for its outstanding performance in the evaluation exercise.
Mayaki, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of the AUDA, eulogised the company for its leading position in the continent and commended the management for its continued effort in promoting quality sleep through its wide range of mattress and pillow brands.
In his remark, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Mouka, Femi Fapohunda, who was highly pleased, said the recognition is a step in an excellent direction, in the pursuit of the company’s objective from where it is now to a more enviable height.
According to him, it is a boost from the previous Nigerian recognition in 2018, when Mouka was acknowledged for improvements in Kaizen by the Joint Japanese and Nigerian Productivity Councils.
Fapohunda pronounced that this shows that Mouka’s business operations are in line with international best practices, thus placing it as the leader in the sleep industry in Africa, with established standards, continuous improvement plan and exceptional business process.
Firmus, Infinity Mortgage Bank win Africa Finance Awards 2020
Names of high profile companies in financial and investment sectors have emerged as winners of 2020 Africa Finance Awards. Some of the companies include Firmus Limited, KCB Bank, Infinity Mortgage Bank Plc, Crystal Finance, Norremberger, Marvellous Mike Press, and Landwey Investment.
It would be recalled that the 2020 edition of Africa Finance Awards, which was initially slated to hold in April this year but was postponed due to the Covid 19 pandemic will now take place in December 2020 in Lagos.
According to Africa Finance Awards Project Director, Mr. Abidemi Adesanya, “The award that is in its 9th year will reward excellence and outstanding achievements in various business sectors across Africa and it includes Banking, Real Estate, Marketing Communications, Public Sector, Security Services, Oil & Gas, Telecoms, ICT among others.”
Some winners of the coveted award this year include NNPC Retail a subsidiary of NNPC, Firmus Limited, Hygeia HMO, Infinity Mortgage, Norremberger, Marvellous Mike Press, Landwey Investment, CreditVille, Xymbolic Development, Ghana Union Assurance among several other leading brands.
The 2020 award dinner will follow all Government laid down Covid 19 protocols to ensure that all our executives attendees from within and outside the country are protected during and after the award ceremony.
FirstBank CEO, Adeduntan, becomes member of Bretton Woods Committee
Nigeria’s premier and leading financial inclusion services provider, First Bank of Nigeria Limited has announced that its CEO, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan has been honoured with membership of Bretton Woods Committee (BWC). FirstBank has also joined Bretton Woods Committee as an Organisational Supporter in line with the commitment to demonstrate cooperation and foster global well-being.
The membership, which is by invitationonly,is in recognition of Dr. Adeduntan’s sterling leadership qualities including efforts in ensuring that FirstBank remains at the forefront in promoting financial inclusion in Africa.
According Bretton Woods, ‘’committee members are leaders at the top of business, academic, and nonprofit sectors. Influencers from every region of the world – including industry CEOs, international policymakers, and former U.S. officials – we champion efforts to spur economic growth, alleviate poverty, and advance global financial stability. Given your leadership and background, we believe you would be a valuable addition to the Bretton Woods Committee’’.
Since its founding in 1983, members of BWC include leaders at the top of the business, finance, academic, and non-profit sectors, including many industry CEOs, as well as former presidents, cabinet-level officials, and lawmakers who share the belief that international economic cooperation is essential and best served through strong and effective International Finance Institutions (IFIs).Members include President Jimmy Carter; Professor Henry Gates Jr, Harvard University; Mr. Michael E. O’Neill, Chairman of Citigroup (2012-2019).